Wait time for visa interview

[Mugs001]

My wife and I (she is a citizen)have applied for her daughter (over 21, unmarried)to get a visa. We have submitted the DS-230 and I-864 and have gotten the "case completed" email from the NVC. We got that email on October 20th so that makes it about 8 weeks. We still haven't gotten the interview date. I've called but they tell me there is no particular problem and that we just have to wait. Previously I had tried to do a little research in order to get an idea of the wait time for the interview date and I was figuring about 2-4 weeks. Should I be worried?

 

Thanks!

Edited December 21, 2011 by Mugs001 (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

Did you optin to the electronic process and did the scan and send of daughter's documents to NVC, as well as DS-230 and I-864?

 

If you did the electronic process, typically Packet 4 Invitation packet gets sent to applicant a few weeks after case is complete at NVC.

 

If you did not opt into e-process, it can take up to 3 months for the case file to make it to Guangzhou, and then they set an interview date.

[Mugs001]

Did you optin to the electronic process and did the scan and send of daughter's documents to NVC, as well as DS-230 and I-864?

 

If you did the electronic process, typically Packet 4 Invitation packet gets sent to applicant a few weeks after case is complete at NVC.

 

If you did not opt into e-process, it can take up to 3 months for the case file to make it to Guangzhou, and then they set an interview date.

 

Yes, everything was done with the electronic processing.

[Mugs001]

Also, where I'm confused is that I'm getting replies on other sites telling me that since my PD is 8-2007 that I have a long wait ahead as they are now servicing applications from October 2004 (via the visa bulletin-for F1).

 

Why am I getting two different kinds of information?

 

Thanks for your help!

[Randy W]

Also, where I'm confused is that I'm getting replies on other sites telling me that since my PD is 8-2007 that I have a long wait ahead as they are now servicing applications from October 2004 (via the visa bulletin-for F1).

 

Why am I getting two different kinds of information?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

Your step daughter is in the F1, Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens category, since she is over 21 (children under 21 are given an immediately available visa number). The available number of visas is limited in this category, so she must wait her turn in line.

 

Dan's reply was assuming an under 21 applicant.

 

The stateside processing is supposed to be completed BEFORE the visa number becomes available - this is why you got the "case completed" notice in Oct.

 

The Dec., 2011 Visa Bulletin shows a priority date of Sep., 2004, meaning that applications filed in Sept., 2004 are currently being processed for interviews. (The January Visa Bulletin shows the Oct., 2004 date)

Edited December 21, 2011 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Mugs001]

Could it be what's called a retrogression?

[Randy W]

Could it be what's called a retrogression?

 

That can happen due to some sort of anomaly in their processing, but not in this case - it's going from Sept., 2004 in December to Oct., 2004 in Jan.

 

You can check the archived Visa Bulletins here - http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1770.html

 

You'll see it jumped from July, 2004 in November, so they're moving in the right direction for now.

[dnoblett]

Actually my reply assumed a visa number had been assigned in this case. It would be strange to send (I-864, DS-230, and Civil docs) to NVC only for the case to sit there upwards of 3 years. If the case sat there like that, more than likely the docs will be considered stale and newer ones would be requested.

 

From my understanding USCIS approves petition and sends it to NVC where it will sit until priority date has been reached, and a visa number assigned, at which point they will request DS-230, I-864 and docs.

[Randy W]

Actually my reply assumed a visa number had been assigned in this case. It would be strange to send (I-864, DS-230, and Civil docs) to NVC only for the case to sit there upwards of 3 years. If the case sat there like that, more than likely the docs will be considered stale and newer ones would be requested.

 

From my understanding USCIS approves petition and sends it to NVC where it will sit until priority date has been reached, and a visa number assigned, at which point they will request DS-230, I-864 and docs.

 

With E.P., the general advice is to go ahead and send those without waiting for them to be requested. That's usually good advice, but in this case, it won't shorten the wait, it will just mean they need to be re-sent when the priority date comes up.

[Mugs001]

Actually my reply assumed a visa number had been assigned in this case. It would be strange to send (I-864, DS-230, and Civil docs) to NVC only for the case to sit there upwards of 3 years. If the case sat there like that, more than likely the docs will be considered stale and newer ones would be requested.

 

From my understanding USCIS approves petition and sends it to NVC where it will sit until priority date has been reached, and a visa number assigned, at which point they will request DS-230, I-864 and docs.

 

With E.P., the general advice is to go ahead and send those without waiting for them to be requested. That's usually good advice, but in this case, it won't shorten the wait, it will just mean they need to be re-sent when the priority date comes up.

 

First, just to be clear. Yes, we had sent in everything based on their contacting us first and asking us to do so.

 

O.K. so I emailed NVC (will call tomorrow but am gathering information first so I don't seem/feel like too much of an idiot) and got an email back. Here is most of it.

Immigrant visa petition GZ____________ is currently on a list of completed cases awaiting the availability of visa numbers. This petition will be eligible for an immigrant visa interview when a visa number is available per the Department of State's Visa Bulletin. The current edition of the visa bulletin is available on the following website:

 

So this confirms what some people have said, that is, we are waiting for a visa #. I've known about this process for a while so it's not a surprise. Here's where I'm really thrown for a loop; I thought that when they first contacted us (10-2010)to send in the DS-230 and I-864 and pay the fees for them, that that meant we were also ready for processing (that is that we had a visa # available to us). Why ask you to do the apps if they are not ready for you? As some have pointed out, it seems that they would just have to ask you again for all of the material since so much time will have gone by (in our case the UK police certificate, etc.).

 

I guess where I'm more confused is that since we have started this process I've been cobbling together information concerning time-lines (what to do first, second, third---what will happen next and then after that) and have been under the impression that next we were expecting an email informing us of the interview date.

 

I must have been confusing another group of immigrant visa applicants with us. My next job is to try and figure out how I got so confused. Go figure!

[Randy W]

Actually my reply assumed a visa number had been assigned in this case. It would be strange to send (I-864, DS-230, and Civil docs) to NVC only for the case to sit there upwards of 3 years. If the case sat there like that, more than likely the docs will be considered stale and newer ones would be requested.

 

From my understanding USCIS approves petition and sends it to NVC where it will sit until priority date has been reached, and a visa number assigned, at which point they will request DS-230, I-864 and docs.

 

With E.P., the general advice is to go ahead and send those without waiting for them to be requested. That's usually good advice, but in this case, it won't shorten the wait, it will just mean they need to be re-sent when the priority date comes up.

 

First, just to be clear. Yes, we had sent in everything based on their contacting us first and asking us to do so.

 

O.K. so I emailed NVC (will call tomorrow but am gathering information first so I don't seem/feel like too much of an idiot) and got an email back. Here is most of it.

Immigrant visa petition GZ____________ is currently on a list of completed cases awaiting the availability of visa numbers. This petition will be eligible for an immigrant visa interview when a visa number is available per the Department of State's Visa Bulletin. The current edition of the visa bulletin is available on the following website:

 

So this confirms what some people have said, that is, we are waiting for a visa #. I've known about this process for a while so it's not a surprise. Here's where I'm really thrown for a loop; I thought that when they first contacted us (10-2010)to send in the DS-230 and I-864 and pay the fees for them, that that meant we were also ready for processing (that is that we had a visa # available to us). Why ask you to do the apps if they are not ready for you? As some have pointed out, it seems that they would just have to ask you again for all of the material since so much time will have gone by (in our case the UK police certificate, etc.).

 

I guess where I'm more confused is that since we have started this process I've been cobbling together information concerning time-lines (what to do first, second, third---what will happen next and then after that) and have been under the impression that next we were expecting an email informing us of the interview date.

 

I must have been confusing another group of immigrant visa applicants with us. My next job is to try and figure out how I got so confused. Go figure!

 

 

Electronic processing is a relatively new procedure - they may still have a few kinks to sort out. But I would think you could have delayed sending in the DS-230 and I-864 until her visa number was current.

 

But I would think you'd eventually get an email saying that your visa number was current, followed by one for the interview.

[Mugs001]

Thanks for the info. I'll let you know more after I speak with a supervisor tomorrow.

[Mugs001]

I spoke to two people about this at the NVC today. One was the "Supervisor" (more about my quotes later). They both said pretty much the same thing. In so many words the idea is that at the time (10-2010)when we were asked to move forward by submitting the DS-230 and I-864 and paying the fees there was projected to be a visa # available for us. However at some point later there was a "retrogression" (they agreed that yes, that was the correct term) in which because of the inconsistent monthly movement of available visa #'s and matching recipients, by the time our case was "completed" (known via an email on 10-20-2011)a visa # was now not projected to be available.

 

I guess there may be a couple of appropriate analogies here: overbooking of a flight, an "out of stock" on a particular product, or just difficulty keeping a line moving at a predictable pace. In any case, the takeaway points from the conversation were that the NVC would not give any firm information on when (other than using our PD of mid-2007) a visa # would become available. The oft repeated line was, "Look at your PD and our monthly bulletin". There was a slight implication that we would not fall to the back of the line (my words here)but are on a list waiting for the next available #. How accurate that is and what we can gather from that is not clear. We may indeed be waiting three months or three years from what I got from them today.

 

About my quotes...After I spoke to the first person for a while I then asked to speak to a supervisor. I was put on hold for a moment, then they came back on and said, "O.K. Sir, I'm connecting you with a "supervisor." The way they said the word "supervisor" was with a bit of sarcasm which made it seem like they were just looking at the person sitting at the next desk over, not a supervisor but another operator. All in all though I would say that they were as friendly and helpful as they could be but as I said, wouldn't make any commitments either way.

[Mugs001]

I spoke to two people about this at the NVC today. One was the "Supervisor" (more about my quotes later). They both said pretty much the same thing. In so many words the idea is that at the time (10-2010)when we were asked to move forward by submitting the DS-230 and I-864 and paying the fees there was projected to be a visa # available for us. However at some point later there was a "retrogression" (they agreed that yes, that was the correct term) in which because of the inconsistent monthly movement of available visa #'s and matching recipients, by the time our case was "completed" (known via an email on 10-20-2011)a visa # was now not projected to be available.

 

I guess there may be a couple of appropriate analogies here: overbooking of a flight, an "out of stock" on a particular product, or just difficulty keeping a line moving at a predictable pace. In any case, the takeaway points from the conversation were that the NVC would not give any firm information on when (other than using our PD of mid-2007) a visa # would become available. The oft repeated line was, "Look at your PD and our monthly bulletin". There was a slight implication that we would not fall to the back of the line (my words here)but are on a list waiting for the next available #. How accurate that is and what we can gather from that is not clear. We may indeed be waiting three months or three years from what I got from them today.

 

About my quotes...After I spoke to the first person for a while I then asked to speak to a supervisor. I was put on hold for a moment, then they came back on and said, "O.K. Sir, I'm connecting you with a "supervisor." The way they said the word "supervisor" was with a bit of sarcasm which made it seem like they were just looking at the person sitting at the next desk over, not a supervisor but another operator. All in all though I would say that they were as friendly and helpful as they could be but as I said, wouldn't make any commitments either way.

[Randy W]

Looking back through the Visa Bulletin archives, it looks like they were jumping the gun a little by asking you to file those forms - in Jan., 2011, the current priority date was Jan., 2005, or 6 years behind, meaning your petition might not become current until 2013. They've since retrogressed to 2004.

 

But in 2010, the priority dates went like this:

 

Jul, 2010 - April 2005

Aug, 2010 - August 2005

Sep, 2010 - June 2006

Oct, 2010 - Feb 2006

Nov, 2010 - Feb 2006

Dec, 2010 - Feb 2006

Jan, 2011 - Jan 2005

 

and then falling all the way back to their current dates of Sept-Oct, 2004.

 

The shortest gap I see is in Sep., 2010 at 4 years and 3 months, which would have given a date of right about now for your petition to be current.

 

So it seems to me that they based your DS-230 and I-864 and fees on the most optimistic projection (without figuring in the retrogression).

 

So this seems to me to indicate that they're playing games with the priority dates (maybe trying to portray an accelerated pace to justify their fee increases?), and that the confusion is theirs, not yours.